Why I Can't Stop Pushing Too Hard When I Draw

My Journey with Pencil Pressure

Sep 06, 2024

Has autumn arrived yet?

Ever since I started drawing, I noticed a recurring problem, a problem that another classmate, who also enjoyed drawing, picked up on.

I push too hard when I draw!

Let me explain. When I’m sketching, I apply too much pressure with my pencils. It’s not something I do on purpose, it just happens naturally. Once the sketch is finished and I want to erase parts of it to move on to the next stage, it often becomes nearly impossible. I’ve pressed so hard while sketching that the lines are too dark to erase cleanly.

Why does this happen? Maybe it’s because I struggle to see what I’m doing if the lines aren’t bold enough. Or perhaps it’s just a bad habit that’s hard to break.

I constantly remind myself to loosen up a little, but two seconds later, I’m back to square one. It’s quite frustrating, to be honest.

So, I started experimenting with different pencil hardness levels. I mostly use a 3B pencil, it’s my favorite. It gives me darker lines while allowing me to keep a slightly looser hand.

However, using the other side of the pencil spectrum, harder pencils, is challenging for me. It's been years since I used anything harder than an HB pencil. Maybe I should give it another try. Who knows? It might work better for me now.

Interestingly, I even apply too much pressure when I’m drawing digitally. I rarely adjust the digital brush settings, but when using Rebelle 7, I had to tweak them. Now, I’ve found the perfect settings for that too.

One thing is certain, I may never be able to stop pushing too hard when I draw. It’s just how I work, and I’ve come to accept that. However, exploring different tools and techniques can help me adapt and improve my art in unexpected ways.

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🍂Art Journey

Lately, I've been struggling with those frustrating burnouts again. I find myself breaking down in tears, feeling completely lost about what to do with my art. I keep going back and forth on whether I should stick to just one drawing software or use them all for different purposes. My mind is all over the place, and it really sucks when it happens. I'm also unsure how to even start tackling the artwork in front of me.

When I was working on Shadow, I tried doing it during a stream, but I just broke down. It didn’t feel right to draw in Rebelle, and watching other people's art only made me feel worse. It’s been tough to get through.